More than 750,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. Two out of three drug overdose deaths in 2018 involved an opioid. Opioids are substances that work in the nervous system of the body or in specific receptors in the brain to reduce the intensity of pain. Overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl), have increased almost six times since 1999. Overdoses involving opioids killed nearly 47,000 people in 2018, and 32% of those deaths involved prescription opioids.
The increase in opioid overdoses in 2017-2019 began to catch the attention of the media as communities across our nation saw deaths in the streets of even the most rural areas of our nation. This led to a deeper look of how doctors prescribe opioids and a realization of the terrible need for recovery.
Illicitly manufactured fentanyls, heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine (alone or in combination) were involved in nearly 85% of drug overdose deaths in 24 states and the District of Columbia during January–June 2019.
In October 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. In response to this declaration RU Recovery Ministries implemented a new initiative called Faith-Based Recovery For America®. We are committed to seeing Faith-Based Recovery options become available to addicts and their families across this great nation.
Over 400 studies have been conducted on the role of faith in addiction recovery and these studies have found a success rate of 40%-60% in most faith-based programs.
Ohio was the center of the opioid epidemic. RU Recovery Ministries had a large concentration of local support meetings in the area. Ohio became our first rally to bring Faith-Based Recovery to the forefront of the battle against addiction. With the support of Ohio State Representative Ron Young HB-427 was proposed to give addicts facing charges the opportunity to choose a faith-based alternative to recovery and HR-299 a resolution of support for faith-based recovery was also proposed. The proposed legislation was passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support.
RU forms Faith-Based Recovery For America® in response the the Opioid Epidemic.
To recognize the efforts and successes of the faith-based community in supporting and assisting individuals who are suffering from opioid and other drug abuse and addiction.
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